Critical Assault by Allies Begins Near Kandahar

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Critical Assault by Allies Begins Near Kandahar
By CARLOTTA GALL
Published: October 16, 2010

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Hundreds of Afghan and American troops on Saturday made an air assault into the horn of Panjwai, a wide area that has served as the main base for the Taliban threatening Kandahar city, Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, the commander of coalition forces in southern Afghanistan, said.

The assault, involving about 800 Afghan soldiers, is the most critical part of the Kandahar operation, a movement progressing since August to push the Taliban out of the city and surrounding districts, and to cut infiltration routes.

Troops moved Saturday morning just after midnight into the village of Mushan, which has served as a Taliban headquarters, General Carter said in an interview at his headquarters at the Kandahar airfield. Hundreds more went into the village of Zangabad farther to the east on Friday morning, he said.

A third Taliban stronghold in the center of the area, in the village of Taluqan, remains in Taliban hands.

“So far, it is a work in progress,” General Carter said. “There is not a huge amount of population there and there have been a few minor engagements, a few caches have been found. And I don’t think we will know how successful it has been for probably another 24 to 48 hours.”